Work begins on new drain to prevent Chennai-Bengaluru highway service lane flooding

As a stop-gap measure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Saturday commenced construction of a small drain on the service lane of Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH-48) near Green Circle, a roundabout below the elevated corridor, in Vellore, to prevent inundation of the carriageway during northeast monsoon.

The initiative by NHAI comes in the wake of knee-deep water stagnation on the narrow stretch due to rain since Monday. Clogged drains and culverts on the stretch have blocked free flow of water into nearby water channels to flow into Palar river.

Subsequently, along with NHAI, State Highways, Corporation officials, and Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi inspected the water-logged service lane. She directed NHAI to construct the new drain to discharge stagnated rainwater from the carriageway. “The service lane, especially near the new bus terminus, is much lower than its surrounding area. Excess rainwater that overflows from nearby lakes gets stagnated on the stretch, affecting traffic movement,” R. Lakshmanan, Commissioner, Vellore Corporation, told The Hindu.

As per plan, the small new prefabricated concrete drain will be 1.5 metres wide and one metre in depth. It will be connected to the existing stormwater drain on the stretch with Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), a distance of around 50 metres. The stormwater drain on the stretch will be cleaned to allow free flow of rainwater into a new small drain. The entire work will be completed in a week.

Corporation officials said excess rainwater discharged into stormwater drains on the stretch will be carried to the STP through the new drain. Thereafter, water from the STP will flow into Palar river. By this, civic officials said that waterlogging on the carriageway of the service lane will be prevented during monsoon.

Prior to new drain work, NHAI used to pump out stagnated water on the service lane, using high-power motor pump sets to the nearby STP. However, due to regular rains, the work remained time-consuming and costlier. “The new drain to prevent waterlogging on the stretch is a welcome step. Traffic on the stretch should be regulated to prevent wrong-side driving,” said S. Pooja, a motorist. 

Motorists said that the stretch is a lifeline for all vehicles, including ambulances, government buses, and school vans from Ranipet, Old Town in Vellore, Ambur, Arcot, and Tirupattur have to reach Katpadi and its surrounding areas.

Corporation officials said that the National Highways wing of State Highways has given a proposal to the Collector to prevent waterlogging on the stretch permanently. As per the plan, the existing stormwater drain will be extended. A wide culvert near the Green Circle roundabout will be built to connect the extended drain to discharge rainwater into the river.